


The Boy in the Thunderbird Mask

by Binary_Sunset



Category: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (Movies)
Genre: (at least until the next movie comes out), Background Newt Scamander/Tina Goldstein - Freeform, Canon Compliant, Costume Parties & Masquerades, Halloween Costumes, M/M, includes moodboard
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-12
Updated: 2017-11-12
Packaged: 2019-01-31 06:58:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 10,649
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12676734
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Binary_Sunset/pseuds/Binary_Sunset
Summary: It's been two years since Credence has set foot in New York City, and in that time, it seems his whole life has radically changed. He's travelled all around the world in the suitcase of a British wizard. He's seen creatures he never could have imagined existed. And now, after getting a job with MACUSA, he's heading back to the first place he ever called home.But with a new outlook and a strange fascination with a man he thought he knew, everything comes to a head at MACUSA's annual masquerade ball.





	1. Part I

**Author's Note:**

> My most sincere apologies to whoever prompted this. It's a little belated, but I hope you found it satisfactory, dear anon.
> 
> Written for the Gradence Hallowe'en Fest prompt "Trick 1":
> 
> _With the Obscurus somehow removed, Credence is slowly finding his footing in the wizarding world thanks to the help of the Goldsteins and/or Newt. He’s harboring an intense curiosity and fascination for the man whose face and life Grindelwald stole, but the most he can do is watch from a distance and quietly gather what bits of information he can from conversations and rumors. It’s not until MACUSA holds a masquerade ball on Hallowe'en that a masked and costumed Credence is able to bring himself to actually hold an actual conversation with the real Mr. Graves, but instead of sating his curiosity the encounter only makes it worse._
> 
> I don't know how this ended up being a canonverse version of Cinderella, but here we are I guess.
> 
> (Also I made two moodboards which you can reblog [here](https://binary-suunset.tumblr.com/post/167425271669/made-a-couple-moodboards-to-go-with-my-fic-for)).

 

 

It had been almost two years since Credence had set foot in New York City.

This was on purpose, of course. Last time he'd been here, he'd killed half his family and destroyed a good portion of the city, before hopping a steamship going _anywhere, anywhere but here_. It was only once he’d arrived in London that he’d been recognised by Newt Scamander, who’d taken him in.

And the two of them had been travelling the world ever since, writing Newt’s manuscript and studying magical creatures. He'd even managed to pick up some magic here and there.

He doubted anyone who'd known Credence Barebone, the meek, scared little boy would recognise him now. His hair was now down to his shoulders, lush and curly in a style Mary Lou would never let him wear, for fear it was too “feminine”. He stood up straighter than he ever had before and most of what he wore nowadays were Newt’s old clothes: long coats, bow ties, waistcoats, and the like. Newt liked to joke that he looked like a Victorian dandy.

He was leaning on the deck rail, looking out at the cityscape slowly inching closer.

A hand came down on his shoulder, squeezing gently. He looked towards it, only to find Newt’s smiling face. “How’re you feeling? Seeing it again, I mean.”

Credence took a breath. He thought he'd be fine coming back; it had been so long but…

“I’m feeling a bit…. fuzzy I guess. Like my brain’s not quite on right.”

Newt’s grip firmed. “You don't think you'll…”

“No, no. It's over a year since it's taken over. I doubt I'll relapse again..” He took another breath. “Besides, she's gone. She can't hurt me anymore. There's no reason for it to act up.”

Newt smiled. “I know you'll be fine, Credence. You’ve come so far since the last time you were here, and I'm so proud of you.”

Credence felt a smile spread across his face. He still wasn't quite used to people being proud of him, but it felt good, knowing Newt understood and appreciated how far he’d come.

Newt playfully ruffled his hair. “We’re going to be disembarking soon. You should make sure you packed everything.”

“I already packed before I came up here.”

Newt raised an eyebrow. “Did you double check to make sure you have everything?”

Credence thought back. He'd certainly packed everything he'd left out, but he'd yet to do a final sweep of the room. And he'd slept outside of the case last night…

“I should go do that.”

 

**•••**

 

There was a distinct, Autumn chill in the air as Newt and Credence got off the liner. For a moment, Credence regretted packing his jacket into his suitcase, as his shirt wasn't quite enough to fend against the cold.

Not that it mattered too much, since he could just hop in the case once they were out of this crowd. The only thing that was going to be a real pain was getting through customs.

Once their passports had been checked and rechecked and the contents of the case deemed contraband-free (by muggle-standards, at least), they were finally permitted into the city proper.

It was strange, coming back to this place as such a different man. He'd been around the docks a few times, handing out fliers and trying to spread the Second Salem philosophy. It was one of the places he hadn't minded. Though the people were generally too busy either working on the docks or getting wherever the were going to really listened, he loved the sound of the waves and the smell of the sea. Now he'd been spending the last few years sailing the sea and visiting exotic places, he’d almost forgotten how much the docks had fascinated him as a child.

It was incredible, how much a year could change.

His musings were interrupted by a shout from the crowd. “Newt!”

Credence looked over to the source, a woman he immediately recognised.

Newt immediately flushed. “Tina!”

She ran over and just about flung herself at the man, wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling him tight against her chest. “Good Lord, I can't believe you're back in New York! It feels like a lifetime since I last saw you!” She blushed and removed herself from Newt, dusting off the front of her coat. “Has your book been published yet? I've been looking out for it, but…”

Newt shook his head. “I sent the final edits in, but it hasn't been printed yet. Once they hit the presses, I promise I'll let you know.”

She smiled. “Thanks, Newt. I've been on pins and needles waiting for it.” She looked over at Credence and her jaw dropped. “Oh my God, Credence, is that _you_?”

Credence chuckled. “Yeah, it’s me.”

“If it weren't for the fact that I knew the two of you were travelling together, I never would have…” She trailed off, looking him over from head to toe. “Did your hair always get like that?”

Credence shrugged. “Ma never liked it when my hair curled, so she always kept it short.”

Tina let out a low whistle. “All the more reason for you to be kept away from that woman, then. It looks really good.” She raised her hand to touch it, but then seemingly thought better of it. “Do _you_ like it?”

“Yeah.”

“That's all that matters, then.” She smiled. “We’re all very happy to see that you’re doing well with Newt. Are you alright with being back in New York?”

Credence gave Tina an easy smile. “Of course I am. I’m a new man now.” He straightened in a mock show of bravado. “Well-travelled and confident! The ghosts of my pasts can hardly hurt me anymore!”

Tina giggled. “Well, if you ever need to talk about anything, you know Newt, Queenie, and I are always there for you.” She winked. “And don’t think you can hide anything from my sister, either.”

“It’s tough to fool a legilimens, I know.” He winked. “I doubt it’ll be a problem, though. I wasn’t lying when I said I was doing alright.”

Tina sighed. “I know, I know. Just… don’t think you can’t come to us, okay? For anything.”

“Thanks. You’re a good person, Miss Goldstein.”

There was a slight lull in conversation before Tina spoke up. “So, it’s your first time in New York as you own man, and a wizard nonetheless! Anything you’re planning on seeing before your work with MACUSA officially starts?”

Credence shrugged. “I've been meaning to visit the shops in Dragon Square. Newt tells me they're quite impressive, and I've been meaning to pick up some food for the more finicky beasts, anyway.”

“Sounds like you could make a nice day out of that.”

They continued towards the Goldsteins’ apartment, chatting about nothing in particular as they walked.

The two were greeted by Queenie, who quickly hurried them up the stairs. She explained that she’d “love to chat with you two, honey, but you know how Mrs. Esposito is about men”.

That made Credence blush. He knew the assumption the Goldstein’s landlord would make and he’d simply never felt like that for either of the sisters. Sure, they were both gorgeous (Queenie seemed like the sort of woman most men would swoon over, and Tina’s incredible bravery and kindness was bound to win the hearts of a fair share of suitors), but even in his newfound freedom of thought, the ability to express himself without fear of the repercussions, he just couldn’t look at them that way. He’d never really thought of _any_ woman that way.

He’d revealed this fact to Newt once while they were tailing a heard of thestrals. Newt had just said that there were plenty of wizards who had no interest in women, who either liked men or didn’t like anyone, and that if Credence ever did find himself attracted to someone, he’d only ever disapprove if that person was cruel to him.

Credence’s wandering mind was reigned back in after he heard the quiet _click_ of the door locking before a pair of arms wrapped itself around his shoulders.

“Welcome back, Cre. It’s so nice to see you back in New York,” said Queenie into his shoulder.

Credence felt his face flush at the nickname. No one had ever called him anything other than his full name before, but he certainly didn’t dislike it. After all, no one called Newt or Tina by their full names, and he doubted “Queenie” was written on the younger Goldstein’s birth certificate. It seemed like a very friendly gesture, especially coming from Queenie, and he decided to embrace it with open arms.

“No, that’s my legal name. Mother thought it was quite modern and charming.”

Credence’s face heated up. He’d forgotten Queenie could read his mind.

The woman just winked. “Don’t worry. I think half the people I work with do too. I have no idea how Teens manages to keep so much from me.”

“Because I’ve lived with you for twenty years, and I got sick of you telling everyone in Ilvermorny who I liked.”

Queenie chuckled. “TIna, it was only because you’d liked him for so long! You know you had to tell him at some point!”

The auror looked between the two men and sighed. “Look, we’re not having this conversation right now. We should be preparing dinner for our guests.”

Queenie pulled her wand from the pocket of her robe. “You ought to be thanking me for that, though. If it weren’t for me, you never woulda taken him to the Christmas Ball.” Before her sister could even react, Queenie raised her wand and started moving pots and pans to the stove.

Credence was immediately a little jealous. There was something incredible about watching Queenie casually perform magic like it was what she was made to do. He’d never quite seen anything like it, making such a massive act of magic looks so casual. It looked like she was born to do this.

It was so different from the clumsy way Newt tended to perform magic, or the quick, explosive spells Credence tended to cast. It was graceful, intentional, beautiful even.

Before any of them knew it, Queenie had already started to prepare a butternut squash soup. “This should be ready in a few minutes. Newt and Credence, if you want to get settled into the guest room, you can go ahead. It should be ready by the time you get back.  


Newt and Credence both thanked her and went to the bedroom. There, honestly, wasn’t much to set up, since they’d been living in the case and had chosen to sleep in there. But they needed to feed the creatures, so the spare time was a blessing.

It was as Newt was carrying some meat to the Nundu that he turned to Credence. “You know, if we’re working at MACUSA, that means we’ll be working with Director Graves. Are you sure you’re okay with that?”

Credence had thought long and hard about this. He knew that Graves wasn’t the man who hurt him. It was a stranger wearing his face who’d manipulated Credence.

That’s what fascinated him about the man. To think he knew someone so well, only to learn that he and Graves had never truly met… It stirred something inside of him. Because Graves had a kind face and gentle hands, even when he was being controlled by someone else, and Credence wanted to meet the man who that face, those touches, had truly belonged to. But he, like most of the Wizarding World, had thought Graves to be dead at the hands of Gellert Grindelwald. Once he was found alive a month later, Credence then figured that the Director wouldn’t want to see him. Why would he want a reminder of what a demon had done while wearing his face?

Credence ran a hand through his hair. “Yeah, I’m fine with that. I’ve… kind of made peace with the fact that he’s not Grindelwald.” Credence cracked a smile.

Newt looked at him for a moment, sympathy colouring his expression. “You know, if thoughts about Grindelwald are giving you trouble, I’m always happy to help…”

Credence waved his hand. “No it’s… not like that. I’ve… I mean, I don’t think I’ll ever really be over it, how much he’s hurt me, but… I’ve made peace with it enough to move on with my life. And he never hurt me like…” He clenched his hands, feeling the scars on his palms. They’d healed enough that they were just small, slivers of silver, but they would never truly leave. No amount of magic could change that.

He let the rest of the sentence hang in the air as Newt wrapped an arm around Credence’s shoulders.

“You know I’m always here for you if you need me, Credence. I hope you know that.”

Credence felt himself smile. “Thank you.”

 

**•••**

 

Dinner was lovely. Queenie had always been a very talented cook, but there was something incredible about the soup she’d made. It was warm and inviting and comfortable, and everything Credence and Newt needed after a long voyage across the sea.

“Cre,” Queenie  asked, about halfway through the meal, “Do you know how you’re going to be spending Hallowe’en? It’s your first real one, isn’t it?”

Credence nodded. Last time he’d had a Wizarding Hallowe’en, he was with Newt deep in the jungles of Siam, trying to find river-dwelling naga. It had gone on much longer than Newt had intended, so they’d ended up spending most of the holiday waist-deep in mud as Newt attempted his best impression of the creature’s mating call. When they’d gotten back into town three days later, having found nothing, Newt had bought Credence some candy and sheepishly apologised for not giving him a proper Hallowe'en.

But it was different now. He and Newt were in the process of transitioning from travellers to MACUSA officials. While they might be travelling occasionally, it would be nice to have a place to properly call home, especially now that Newt’s book was published. A real place, not just a hut hidden in a suitcase. The best part was that he’d be experiencing New York the way he’d always been meant to: as a fully-fledged wizard.

“I guess you could say that. Mary Lou never really celebrated Hallowe’en. She thought it was a Pagan demon-summoning ritual designed to corrupt the youth.”

He remembered being forced to stay inside the church while the other children in his neighbourhood ran around in costume and gorged themselves on candy. He supposed he was too old for that now, but he was still excited for whatever the Wizarding World had in store.

“How _do_ wizards celebrate Hallowe’en anyhow?” Credence asked, once he realised he had no idea what he was in for.

“Well, the younger ones tend to wreak havoc around the schoolyard. Nothing too severe or permanent, though I _did_ once turn a boy who made fun of me into a ferret once. It earned me a week’s detention, but it was worth it,” Tina said with a wink. “But for us adults, it’s mainly parties, which are a lot more tame. We still get dressed up, though.”

“There’s actually a masquerade ball every year at MACUSA, if you wanted somewhere to go,” Queenie added. “Letting you in wouldn’t be any trouble, since you’re both employees nows. You’d need a costume, though.”

He wondered, briefly, if this was the sort of event that Percival Graves would attend. It was just a fleeting thought, but it seemed like Queenie caught it.

“Most of the people who work for MACUSA show up, though it’s hard to tell who everyone is, since they’re wearing masks,” she explained.

Credence’s mind then began to rush with questions, like the levee around his mind had finally broken. It began to swirl with questions about the Director. Was he recovering well? Had Grindelwald left any visible scars?

What were the things that endeared him to those around him? The subtle things that Grindelwald could never hope to emulate. The way he liked his coffee, the way he held himself when speaking to someone he was close to. What he sounded like when he laughed, the way he smiled. They were all things withheld from him by a lie, and Credence found within him a deep desire to know the truth.

“I’d like to go,” Credence said. “I mean, I have no idea what I’d dress up as, but... ”

Queenie smiled. “We’ll think of something, sweetheart. If all else fails, we _could_ just dress you up as one of Newt’s creatures. I know a few spells that ought to help out.”

Credence looked around the table at Newt, then Tina, then Queenie. “That’s lovely of you to offer, but I’m not sure I’d like to go if the rest of you aren’t. I wouldn’t just want to leave you all alone during Hallowe’en.”

“Well, I’ll go! I love parties!” Queenie looked around the table. “Newt? Teens? What about you?”

Newt shrugged. “I think it sounds like a nice way to get to know our new coworkers. I’d love to come with you.”

“And of course, I certainly wouldn’t want to spend Halloween alone either.” Tina smiled. “Well, I guess we’ll all need to figure out what we’re wearing, then?”

 

**•••**

 

This was how Credence ended up in just about every thrift store, magical or non-magical, in New York city trying on all sorts of different masks and costumes. The majority of them were quite masculine in nature, all padded shoulders and sharp lines, and though they’d certainly suit _someone_ , they contrasted far too greatly with Credence’s delicate features.

He’d flopped down on the Goldstein’s couch, the day the party was set to begin, having completely given up.

“Oh honey,” a familiar, sweet voice said, “why didn’t you tell me you was havin’ trouble?”

He looked over and saw Queenie walk over and take a seat on the arm of the couch.

Credence sighed. “Queenie, there’s no need for you to do anything like that--”

“Cre, the party is in six hours and you haven’t got anything to wear. Of course there’s a need for a little intervention.” She pulled out her wand and tapped his nose with it. “Now let’s see if I can magic up something that suits you, hm?”

She cast a slow, nonverbal spell which cast a warm golden light over him. When the light had faded, Queenie picked up a hand mirror from the side table and held it up so Credence could see.

The spell had created a delicate, golden masquerade mask on his face. The filigree stood out against his pale skin, branching out in four wings at each peak of the mask and culminating in a sharp, raptor-like beak over his nose.

Credence smiled so wide he almost felt himself disappear. It had to be the most beautiful thing he’d ever seen, and much finer than even anything Newt would wear.

“You like it, huh?”

Credence nodded. “Queenie, it’s lovely.”

Queenie smiled cheekily and put her wand over her shoulder. “Now let’s get you in front of a mirror and see what we can do for clothes.”

She brought Credence to her room in front of a full-length mirror. He felt almost like a bride getting fitted for her wedding dress, as Queenie looked him over, wand in hand.

“Alright, close your eyes and I’ll see what I can whip up for you.”

He did as she suggested, feeling the swirl of magic around him as Queenie transformed his outfit. He felt fabric shift and change, heard it whizz through the air and stitch itself back together.

Once the movement and magic had ceased, Queenie told Credence to open his eyes.

He hardly recognised the man looking back at him. His hair had been pulled away from his face with a gold, satin ribbon. His borrowed clothes had been transformed into a fine, well-tailored four-piece suit. The coat and pants were both a flawless white, framing a beige vest with a blue shirt underneath. The whole thing was tied together with a gold tie and pocket square to match the mask.

Credence was certainly very satisfied with what Queenie had come up with, but it was clear she wasn’t. She looked at him, idly tapping her wand against her chin. “It’s missing something.”

“What on Earth could it be missing, Queenie? It’s beautiful!”

“It is. But it doesn’t quite come together yet…” She pulled out her wand and charmed the buttons of the vest to a polished gold. Then, she slowly ran it across the lapels and the cuffs of the sleeves and pant legs, creating feather-shaped gold filigree to match Credence’s mask. “Much better now, I think.”

After getting a good look at himself in the mirror, Credence wrapped his arms around Queenie’s shoulders and hugged her tight. “Thank you. I couldn’t have asked for anything better.”

“Well, I figured you waited all this time to finally meet the actual Graves. You should at least look nice for him." 

Credence felt his face flush. “You _knew_?”

Queenie shrugged. “I’m a legilimens, sweetie, of course I knew. Besides, you aren’t the only one in MACUSA who has a crush on the Director. I think it’d be good for the two of you to get to know each other. Graves is a good man.”

Credence laughed. “Yeah, I’ve.. I’ve heard.” He sighed. “Thank you. I really… I really can’t thank you enough.”

“The best way you can thank me is by going out there and having a good time, honey.”

 

**•••**

 

It took a while for everyone else to get ready. Queenie was the first one done. She’d dressed as an angel, complete with a feathery white mask and a small pair of wings at her back. They looked much more realistic than anything Credence had seen in stores, so he figured they must have been some sort of charm or illusion.

Next was Newt, who’d traded his usual mismatched colours for a completely black and white outfit. His mask was in the shape of a badger with a long, pointed snout that protruded from it. Credence walked over and brushed a piece of fluff off his jacket.

“I like this. You should dress up more often,” he said with a smile.

“Oh. Thank you.” Credence didn’t need to see Newt’s face to know he was blushing. “You look nice too. I hardly recognised you.”

“I'd be offended, but I think that's the point of a masquerade ball.”

The final one done was Tina, who’d worn a short, white dress almost reminiscent of a toga, with a boy and a quiver of arrows strapped to her back. Her mask was one of a spotted fawn, complete with small antlers. She wore a silver, crescent-shaped tiara on top of her head.

Queenie let out a low whistle. “You really went all out this year, huh, Teens.”

She smiled behind her mask. “Do you like it? I saw the mask and just thought it was a great idea!”

Newt looked over at her and, even under the mask, it was clear he was blushing. “You look… really lovely.”

Tina smiled back. “Thank you. I had a lot of fun with the outfit.”

Queenie looked at the clock in the corner. “As wonderful as you all look, we should really go.”

 

**•••**

 

It didn’t take long for the four of them to apparate into an alleyway beside the Woolworth building. Credence scanned the massive crowd of people heading into the building, all wearing masks and fine clothes to match. He wondered how, after living in the city for eighteen years, he never noticed exactly how many people seemed to fit into that building. He knew that there were charms for hiding that sort of thing, but the knowledge of his previous ignorance never ceased to amaze him.

He entered the party at Newt’s side, knowing it would be best for both of them if they stuck together. Newt often struggled in conversation, and Credence knew it would do well for him to have someone familiar by his side.

The whole of MACUSA’s lobby had been completely changed. An illusion spell had been cast, turning the stairways invisible and the floor into an elegant, hardwood dance floor. The ceiling had even been enchanted to resemble the night’s sky, with a large, orange harvest moon slowly rising above the horizon. The ballroom was mainly lit by this and scores of orange candles floating high above their heads.

Credence couldn’t help but stare. He’d certainly seen his fair share of magic while living with Newt (he did, after all, live in a suitcase that was bigger on the inside), but all these grand acts of magic never ceased to amaze him.

He felt a gentle nudge on his shoulder, followed by Newt’s voice, kept at a low whisper. “Close your mouth. You’ll catch flies.”

Credence had a brief moment of panic, worried that he’d attracted some sort of unwanted attention, but when he looked to Newt, the man was smiling beneath his mask.

The ball masque seemed to be in full swing, with a large band playing in one corner of the dance floor. While there were a few people dancing, mainly couples enjoying each other’s company. The party had yet to go completely awry. The food was being brought out regularly and the guests were on relatively good behaviour, but Credence knew enough about parties to be certain that this likely wouldn’t last.

He and Newt made their way over to the snacks table while Queenie and Tina started working the crowd. There was all manner of tasty treats lining the tables, including cauldron cakes with frothing, steaming filling and a bowl full of peppermint toads and chocolate frogs, both of which seemed to be trying their damndest to hop and climb up the steep walls of the bowl. There was a large cauldron full of popcorn that seemed to be enchanted to pop to full capacity and even drizzle itself with just the right amount of melted butter.

Credence reached into the bowl and caught a peppermint toad with one careful clench of his fingers. The candy’s little body squirmed to avoid his grip in a way that felt almost too realistic.

“Careful, you might get a stomach ache if you eat too many of those,” Newt advised.

Credence chuckled. “Don’t worry, it’s just the one. I can control myself.” Almost to spite Newt, he bit the head off the candy, which ceased its wriggling.

It was delicious, cool and refreshing and just crisp enough to have a satisfying _snap_ when he bit into it. Credence had never been allowed sweets as a child (whether because Mary Lou couldn’t afford them or due to some moralistic standard, Credence was unsure), and now whenever he had access to them, he tended to overindulge a bit. Not that he could help it, of course. He was only making up for what he’d been denied as a child.

“I know you can, Credence. But there will also be plenty of alcohol tonight, and I’d rather not have a repeat what happened the first time I took you to London.”

Credence crossed his arms. “Come on, Newt, that was _one_ time. And your editor didn’t even _mind_ that I threw up on his shoes. He was laughing with you about it not twenty minutes later.”

“I know, I just don’t trust you to cast a drunken scourgify and not accidentally turn the whole place blue or something.”

Credence laughed. “No need to worry about that, I wasn’t planning on having more than a drink or two tonight anyway. I wasn’t sure what kind of party this was.”

“Honestly, I’m not sure either.” He grabbed a handful of popcorn and looked out to the dance floor, watching the Goldsteins seem to effortlessly chat among the guests. He looked almost disappointed, watching as everyone else seemed to talk to each other so easily.

Credence gently nudged Newt’s shoulder in an effort to cheer him up. “Well, it won’t do us any good to sulk by the food. Want me to grab us a couple glasses of pumpkin juice and we can start making the rounds?”

“That would be lovely, thank you, Credence.”

There was a large punch bowl at the end of the table, so Credence got to work filling up two glasses. By the time he’d returned, Newt was already chatting with a man about half a foot shorter than him wearing a black cat mask with ears and little wire whiskers. It matched the tailored, black suit he was wearing flawlessly, and he’d even enchanted a furry tail for himself.

“Well, Mister Scamander, I shouldn’t be surprised that you’d brought the Thunderbird with you tonight.”

Credence laughed and handed Newt one of the glasses of pumpkin juice. “Hopefully I’m here a bit more legally than Frank was.”

“You are. Probably. As long as you have a passport and a wand permit, that’s all I really care about.”

Credence took a sip of his pumpkin juice. “Can I ask who I’m talking to or do I have to call you Felix the Cat all night?”

The man crossed his arms and his tail fluffed up with annoyance, just like a real cat’s would. “I’m not supposed to be Felix the Cat, just a normal black cat. You know, like witches are supposed to have in all the no-maj stories. It’s a joke.”

Credence chuckled. “Oh, I get it. I’m not sure how many other people would, though. American wizards don’t seem to know much about muggle culture.”

He rolled his eyes. “Well, I see Mister Scamander’s rubbed off on you pretty quick.” The man held out his hand. “My name is Ewan Abernathy. I’m one of the managers down in wand permits.”

He shook the man’s hand. “I’m Newt’s protégé.”

“Does Newt’s protégé have a name?”

Credence smiled cheekily. “Nope.” He knew he’d eventually have to reveal who he was to the people he worked with, but for now, he just wanted to be a young man in a costume at a party.

“I guess _I_ get to call _you_ Felix the Cat now, huh?” Abernathy teased.

“It’s probably better than my actual name, if I’m being honest.”

They continued chatting easily like that for what felt like an hour, telling stories and making quips at each other. Even Newt was able to join in on the merriment once he felt comfortable.

After Abernathy left for the dance floor, Newt gently squoze Credence’s shoulder. “Thank you for staying with me, but I’ll go meet up Tina and Queenie. You go have fun, okay? I’ll meet you back at the door at midnight.”

“Okay. But if you need me before then, please give me a shout. I don’t want you to be miserable just because I dragged you out to some party.” He downed the pumpkin juice and poured himself another before making his way out to the dance floor.

He chatted with a few people, most of them more curious about Newt and his creatures than Credence himself. He could rattle off the names that Newt gave them, how common they were in the wild, and what experiments they were looking into to understand them better. Though most of the witches and wizards he talked to were more concerned about whether or not the creatures were dangerous (they weren’t) or if they were getting out (they weren’t). He’d also gotten a few question about Newt’s eccentricities and why he was travelling with such a strange wizard. He always tried to frame Newt in the best way possible, always explaining that, though he wasn’t a conversationalist by any means, he had a good heart and constantly looked after the people he cared about. Credence would tell them the story of how he’d, after ending up without a family or a home, met Newt on accident and how the magizoologist had taken him on as an apprentice.

When asked about his own past, he’d usually say it was a grizzly topic and he preferred to avoid it. It wasn’t a lie by any means, but it always gave him a sense of guilt anyway.

Stranger still, as he’d wandered through the crowd, he kept seeing images out of the corner of his eye. It was a man dressed mostly in black with some sort of canine-shaped mask on. Credence had never quite gotten a good look at the man, but he seemed to hover around Credence like a shadow.

It wasn’t until after his third pumpkin juice (this one he’d spiked with firewhiskey, with probably explained everything that happened afterward) that he finally confronted the man. Credence had spotted him making his way up a flight of stairs near the kitchen and followed him up to the empty hallway.

The lamps lining the walls automatically flicked on. It was the first time Credence was really able to see him clearly, and he was gorgeous. While his face was still hidden behind a mask (which Credence could now see as one of a black and white wolf), his body was clearly on display in a tailored suit that showed off the man’s trim, but broad, figure. He had dark hair and it appeared to be greying at the temples, or at least, as far as he could tell.

It couldn’t be...

“I didn’t realise I’d gotten myself a shadow for the night,” Credence said, finally meeting eyes with the masked man. The firewhiskey had emboldened him, the words slipping easily from his lips as if he were used to them.

“Unfortunately, the last time a thunderbird was in New York, I was out of town. I wanted to rectify that when I saw you here.” He rubbed at the back of his neck sheepishly. “But, if you’d rather I left you alone, I’d be fine with that.”

Credence’s heart stopped. He _knew_ that voice. Well, to be more specific, he’d heard it before, spewing lies and false promises in an alleyway behind the church. But the man who’d hurt him would never offer to leave him alone, especially if he thought he’d have something to gain.

It was _fascinating_ , and it only piqued Credence’s curiosity even more.

“I appreciate the offer, but I’d actually like to get to know you a bit, if you don’t mind.” He smiled. “Would you believe that you’re actually the person I wanted to meet tonight?”

The man chuckled. “Well, if you’d like, we can chat over drinks in my office. Seeing as you’ve already figured out who I am, I don’t think it would ruin the spirit of the night.”

“I’d like that.” He held out his hand. “Care to lead the way?”

The man gently grasped Credence’s hand. “Of course.”

Credence was lead up a few more flights of stairs, near the top of the building. At the end of the hall was a white door, identical to the others, with a small MACUSA seal where a doorknob would be.

The man in the wolf mask pulled out a wand and cast a nonverbal on the lock, causing the seal to turn and open the door. It was a different wand from the one Credence remembered, but only slightly. It was still dark and unusually long, but the handle was silver, polished and smoothly curved to fit his hand.

He walked into the room first, flicking his wand to light up the overhead lamp. Credence followed behind him. The name on the plate confirmed exactly what he was suspecting: This was Percival Graves.

“Grab a seat, I usually keep some brandy in here.” He knelt behind his desk and pulled a bottle of Dragon Barrell from a drawer. “You know, for emergencies.” He summoned two glasses and filled one up. “Would you like some? Or I could conjure something else for you.”

“Does picking up strangers at masquerade parties count as an emergency, then?” He asked, smirking. Credence waved a hand over his glass, making some pumpkin juice appear inside. He’d already had enough to drink tonight.

Graves raised his eyebrows, clearly impressed by the display of wandless magic. It made Credence glow with pride, to know that a man so admired appreciated what he could do. “Only if they’re very pretty. And slightly mysterious. Very dangerous combination, clearly a matter of Magical Security.” Graves took a sip of his brandy. “Speaking of which, can I ask what department you work in? I don’t recognise your voice, so I’m assuming you’re not one of mine. Though with wandless magic like that, I’d welcome you into the Auror Division in a heartbeat.”

Credence chuckled. “It’s just a party trick. I wouldn’t last a day out in the field.” He took a sip. “I was actually brought on a few months ago after the Body for Protection of Magical Species was expanded.”

Graves gestured to him. “Well, that explains the costume, then. I thought it was a reference to the Ilvermorny house.”

“Oh, I… didn’t go to Ilvermorny. I had a private tutor.” He took a sip of his pumpkin juice. “One of my best friends was a Thunderbird, though. She swears up and down I would have been a Wampus cat, had I gone.”

“A Wampus cat, huh?” he raised an eyebrow and gave Credence a flirtatious smirk. “You know, I was a Wampus back in my Ilvermorny days.”

“Really, now? The Director of Magical Security is a warrior? Why doesn’t that surprise me? I bet you were at the top of your house.”

Graves laughed. “I wasn’t actually. You’re looking at Ilvermorny’s number one troublemaker, back when he was younger.”

“I’m almost afraid to ask what sort of trouble you’d get into as a teenager, Director.”

He leaned back in his chair and let out a low whistle. “Well, there was the time I charmed all the books in the library to be… shall we a little unsavoury.  I also, uh, frequented a certain infamous broom closet during my sixth year.”

Credence raised an eyebrow from behind his mask. “My my, what lucky students.”

He laughed uncomfortably. “Not quite. I was a looker in my youth, I won’t deny that, but I lacked certain, uh, _necessary_ skills. And a lot of restraint.”

Credence took a breath, still feeling the effects of the firewhiskey buzzing beneath his skin. He wasn’t certain this was the best idea, but Graves was just so much more interesting than he ever could have imagined. Worse still, Credence knew the face that hid behind the mask was _devastatingly_ handsome, and it was a crime that Graves didn’t seem to see it. “I don’t know about your youth, but I don’t think your looks have faded too much over the years. Unless you were incredibly, blindingly handsome as a seventeen-year-old.”

Even behind his mask, Credence could see his entire face flush. “I’m… sure there aren’t too many people out there who share your opinion…”

“That’s a pity, then.” He leaned forward, bringing his face close to Graves’, just close enough to imply what he wanted without invading the auror’s space. “Tragic, even, that people don’t appreciate you. You’re incredibly intelligent and hardworking. Someone out there _has_ to find that attractive.”

Graves laughed, his breath smelling slightly of brandy. “Well, what about yourself? You’re an interesting character. You never went to school, and you don’t carry a wand. And I can tell you’re absolutely stunning behind that mask. Don’t tell me you have a partner who doesn’t know where you are.”

“No partners, just my roommate, but he has eyes for someone else. I promise I’m here alone.”

“Good. Because I’ve been wanting to do this all night.” He leaned forward and closed the gap between himself and Credence.

Graves’ lips were warm and slightly chapped and he tasted of brandy and something sweet. The kiss was mostly chaste, aside from a couple licks to Credence’s bottom lip. He responded to them only by gently grasping onto Graves’ upper arm as if to anchor himself to reality.

Graves was the one to break the kiss. “Come over here, kissing over the desk is kind of awkward.”

Credence laughed and came over to Graves’ side of his desk. Not wanting to be presumptuous and sit on his lap, he instead opted to sit on the edge of the desk and lean in for another kiss.

Whereas the first one was chaste and shy, this one was anything but. With Credence in control, it was surprisingly messy and passionate. He was also the first one to put his arms around Graves to bring them closer, which the Director gladly reciprocated. In a moment of passion, he brought his hand over to the back of Credence’s head and untied the ribbon pulling his hair back.

Wait, the ribbon.. Queenie…

Credence broke the kiss. “Shit.”

“Sorry. Too much?”

He shook his head. “No, no, I just.. What time is it?”

Graves checked his wristwatch. “Right around midnight. Do you have to be somewhere?”

“Yeah, I… the friends I came with are going to be leaving soon. I really have to go.” Credence hopped down from the desk. “I’m so sorry, but I do really have to leave.”

Graves reached out and gently ran a hand through Credence’s hair. “No, it’s fine. I understand. But--”

He didn’t hear the end of Graves’ sentence as he slammed the door behind him.

 

**•••**

 

Even at a run, it took Credence several minutes to get back to the main floor of MACUSA. He’d nearly crashed into Newt as he approached the entrance to the Woolworth building.

Newt had taken his mask off, revealing his usual freckled face. He looked exhausted, and Credence couldn’t help but pity him and feel more than a little guilty for leaving him alone. Going off on his own _had_ been Newt’s idea, but Credence still felt responsible.

“Everything alright?” he asked.

Credence panted. “Yeah, I’m… I’m fine. I just ran all the way down three flights of stairs and I’m a little out of breath.”

“What were you doing so high up?” Tina asked, her tone incredulous.

“It’s a long story. And honestly, I’m just really tired. I’d like to go home. I’ll explain everything tomorrow.”

“Alright, then.” Tina narrowed her eyes behind her mask.

With an audible _crack_ , the four of them apparated back into the Goldstein’s apartment. The charms on all their clothes had worn off. Credence was left bare-faced and wearing Newt’s cast-offs. Tina and Queenie had both been smart enough to charm their nightgowns, whereas Newt was still in his day clothes. The only things that remained from their costumes was Tina’s mask, which she’d apparently purchased in a no-maj shop.

Newt let out a loud yawn and turned to Credence. “Come on, we should be getting to bed right about now.”

They’d both made their way inside the suitcase. Once they were inside, Newt turned to Credence. “What happened after I left?”

He shrugged. “Oh, you know, I milled around a bit. Drank some firewhiskey.” He turned his back to Newt and started to head to his room before “Kissed Director Graves” came tumbling out of his mouth. 

“Uh, I’m sorry, what was that.”

Blushing, Credence turned back to look Newt in the eye. “Look, I ran into Director Graves and he brought me back to his office and.. one thing lead to another and I kissed him.”

“What did you think?” he asked. “I know you’ve been wondering what he’s like.”

“He’s…” Credence felt his face get redder. “..he’s different from what I imagined. But better. More of a person. If that makes sense. And he’s really sweet. I honestly feel a bit bad that I left in such a rush. I didn’t even give him my name.”

“Do you think anything will come of it?”

“I don’t know. I’d like for something to, but, I know better. He’d probably prefer someone his age, not someone young enough to be a junior Auror. And definitely not a former obscurial who dresses mostly in his mentor’s hand-me-downs.”

Newt’s face softened. “Please don’t talk about yourself like that, Credence. You’re one of the most incredible wizards I’ve ever met.”

“I know, just…” He sighed. “Look, I’m not stupid. I know I’ve been through a lot and I know I have a lot of baggage. I’m just not sure I’d want to put that on someone else. Especially not Graves. He was kidnapped by one of the most evil wizards who ever lived, I don’t think he needs all of my garbage on top of it.”

“You don’t have any garbage, Credence. You’re an incredibly kind and intelligent young man, and anyone would be lucky to have you.”

Credence sighed. “I appreciate it, Newt, but I doubt anyone else would think that. I had my chance to be normal, I made some friends, but I just don’t think anyone would want to take me on. Once Graves learns who I am, there’s no way he’d want anything to do with me.” He brushed past Newt and made his way to his bedroom.


	2. Part II

His first day at MACUSA was certainly interesting. It was vastly different from the ball, where Credence was just a mysterious young man. Here, people knew him for what he used to be. Even when he wasn’t doing anything spectacular, it felt like the whole of MACUSA had its eyes on him.

Credence _hated_ being the centre of so much attention. He could work a crowd fine when he had a mask to hide behind, but he felt like he was just a freak show attraction to the rest of these witches and wizards.

Of course he’d entertained the idea that they were just curious about a new employee in a newly-expanded department, but they _knew_ . They _had_ to know.

He’d ended up in the corner of Newt’s office, sitting in a comfortable armchair with his knees up, as if trying to keep himself together.

Credence felt the familiar, comfortable weight of Newt’s arm around his shoulder.

“Are you doing alright?” Newt asked. “I haven’t seen you this unstable in a year and a half.”

Credence whimpered, thin wisps of smoke emanating from his form. He was nowhere close to a full shift, he hadn’t been since he’d started living with Newt, but the Obscurus had a habit of manifesting when Credence was emotionally compromised.

“It’s okay, Credence, I know it’s scary, but you’re safe here.” He started to rub Credence’s back in large circles. “No one is going to hurt you. I won’t let them.”

“No one will leave me alone,” he muttered. “Why won’t they leave me alone?”

“Because you’re new and they’re curious about you. Especially since I’m apparently notoriously difficult to work with.” Newt chuckled. “I doubt they know about you’re… uh, _unconventional_ upbringing.”

“How can they not? I’m the oldest Obscurial ever discovered. They probably think they’re two mean words away from being murdered.”

“They don’t think that at all.” Newt fanned the smoke into the air. “Now put that away, you’re fine.”

Credence straightened and took a breath. The smoke quickly retracted back into his form. “How do you know?”

Newt walked up to his desk and pulled out a small, silver saucer. Despite its small size, Credence was able to see his reflection in the shiny metal.

“What do you see?” he asked.

“It’s me.” He narrowed his eyes. “What are you..?”

“Of course it’s you, but god, _look_ at you. You’re not some scared, broken child anymore, Credence. You’ve grown up into a strong, capable man. Honestly, if I ran into you on the street, I would have never believed you were an Obscurus.”

Credence opened his mouth.

“--and it’s not just because you’re an adult, so don’t you _dare_ bring that up.”

Credence closed his mouth and crossed his arms in protest.

“They aren’t staring at you because of what you used to be. Your name was never made public to anyone who didn’t already know it. They don’t know who you are. If they’re staring at you, it’s because they want to know who this gorgeous, confident man is who’s started working here. That’s all.”

Credence looked into the saucer and gently ran a hand over his own image. Newt was right. He _was_ a far cry from the starved street rat in an ill-fitting suit that had handed out pamphlets in New York City almost two years ago. If that old Credence had run into him walking down the street, would he even know who he was looking at?

He placed the saucer on his lap. “Thank you. I think I needed that.”

Newt smiled. “I’m just glad you could see things my way. You really ought to give yourself some more credit, though, you’re a lot more than just what you’ve lived through.”

Credence smiled back at him. “Thank you.” He looked over at the door and his face fell. “I… I think I’m going to need some more time before I got out there and face everyone, though. If it’s alright with you.”

“Of course it is, Credence. Take all the time you need. You can even go into the case if you need to.”

 

**•••**

 

After a couple days spent acclimating to the new environment, Credence finally felt comfortable venturing out of the office. It was just a simple task, getting Newt a cup of tea while he poured over all the records of illegal creature trafficking, but it was still daunting to have to brave the offices without Newt.

The coffee room that Credence eventually found was a couple floors up from Newt’s office, but it was well-stocked with everything he’d needed to make tea.

Credence turned on the stove and lit it with a quick flick of his wrist and a quiet " _incendio_ ".

A low whistle came from behind him. “I haven’t seen a display of wandless magic like that outside of the Auror Division for a long time. Are you one of mine?”

As Credence was about to put the kettle on the stove, he whirled around to see Director Graves standing in the doorway.

He felt his entire face warm up. “Oh, I… I didn’t see you there.” He slammed the kettle onto the stovetop, thanking a higher power for the ability to be facing _away_ from Graves. “No… I’m Mister Scamander’s assistant. He just wanted me to bring him some tea. So I’m here. Assisting him.”

Graves raised an eyebrow. “So you are.” He pulled out his wand and floated a steel percolator and a tin of coffee grounds onto the counter. “I just needed to stretch my legs a bit, so I figured some coffee wouldn’t do any harm. Would you like some?”

“Thank you so much for offering, Director, but I really don’t like coffee.”

Graves laughed and scooped the grounds into the percolator before filling it with water from a quick, nonverbal _aguamenti_. “Everyone says that on the first day, but I guarantee by the end of the week you’ll be needing a cup by the middle of your shift.”

Credence laughed. “I’m not sure you’ll be able to convert me from my tea-drinking ways, Mister Graves.”

He crossed his arms. “Now, my boy, _that_ sounds like a challenge.” Graves _accio_ ’d a ceramic mug into his hand. “What’s your name, by the way? I don’t think I ever caught it.”

“Credence, sir. Credence Scamander.”

“Scamander? Are you and Newton..?”

Credence laughed and felt his face flush. “No, no, he’s my uncle. Sort of. It’s complicated. But we’re not… He’s a good man.”

Graves gave Credence a shy smile. “That’s pretty different from what I’ve heard. A lot of people in MACUSA aren’t sure what to make of him.”

“I don’t blame them. I wasn’t either, at first, but I’ve known him for a long time. If you want someone to keep an eye on your beasts, he’s the man for the job.”

“I know hiring him was Seraphina’s idea, but I never actually got the chance to meet him.” Graves poured coffee from the pot and into his mug. “I’m sure you’ve heard about all that.”

As much as Credence had wanted to feign ignorance and get Percival talking, the sheer sadness and resignation that coloured his tone stopped him. He knew what it was like, to be tricked by a man like Grindelwald. He rested a comforting hand on the Director’s shoulder. “Hey, none of that was your fault. You didn’t ask for any of that to happen, and I doubt anyone here blames you.”

“Thank you.” He started to head out the door, before stopping in his tracks. “Just so you know, there’s actually a coffee room on your floor. You’re welcome to keep using this one, but it’s probably a hike from Magical Species.”

Without another word, the director disappeared through the door.

Credence’s kettle whistled as he stared at the empty doorway.

 

**•••**

 

Credence walked into Newt’s office a few minutes later, holding two mugs of tea. “You will not _believe_ who I just ran into in the coffee room.” He put one mug on Newt’s desk and took a seat in his armchair.

“President Rappaport?” Newt guessed, still looking over his papers. “Because if it was, I have a few choice words for her about her treatment of magical creatures.”

Credence took a sip from his mug. The tea was weak and quite tasteless. Typical American fare. “Not at all. It was Director Graves.”

 “Oh, okay. I’m not--” After taking a moment to process what Credence said, he looked up from his list of laws for the treatment of magical creatures. “Percival Graves? The one you.. Uh.. _met_ at the Ball Masque?”

"Yup.” Credence pointed to the mug. “Now drink your tea. You need a break.”

Newt put the papers scattered around his desk into a manilla folder and brought the mug to his lips. “What makes you say that?”

“You’ve been reading so many laws that you guessed I’d run into a president that’s out of office for almost a hundred and fifty years.”

“It’s not _my_ fault there’s so much legislation around the breeding and treatment of magical creatures.” He took a sip. “And they couldn’t just send it to me in advance because _heaven forbid_ a muggle somehow get into my suitcase and discover that dragons are…” He pulled a piece of paper from the manilla envelope. “A class 10 known wizard killer, extremely dangerous, and considered a major risk to the Statute of Secrecy that must be killed on sight.” He put it back and groaned. “Honestly, dragons are _hardly_ dangerous so long as you handle them properly and come prepared with the proper equipment. It’s not _my_ fault some idiot thought it would be a good idea to run over and pet the damn things. And really? Murder was the _only_ option MACUSA could think of? Don’t they know how important draconic wildfires are to many ecosystems?”

“Newt, if you don’t stop talking about magical creatures, I _will_ take that folder away from you.”

He groaned. “Alright, I’ll take a break.” He pulled up a chair beside Credence, taking a gulp of his tea once he sat down. “This is awful, by the way. What blend is it?”

Credence shrugged. “It was just whatever they had in the break room. If you’d like, we could go out after work and buy some proper tea in Dragon Square.”

“I’d hate to be a snob, but this genuinely tastes like dishwater.” He put the mug on a side table. “More importantly, I’d like to hear about your little run-in with Director Graves.”

“Oh.” Credence felt his face flush. “Well, he saw me light the stove without a wand and asked me if I was an Auror. Obviously I said no. And then we just chatted for a bit. He asked about you once I mentioned I was your assistant. I told him you were a good man and that you were very good at your job.”

Newt smiled. “Credence, you didn’t have to say anything like that.”

“Don’t be so modest, Newt. You know I’m always happy to talk you up.” He downed his tea and put it on Newt’s desk. “I’m going to get back to work organising your schedule, but once your finish with the cup I’d be more than happy to return it to the coffee room.”

 

**•••**

 

A few days later, after work, Credence made his way to Kettimine Tea Shoppe in Dragon Square. It was a quaint little store, nowhere near the massive expanse of Macy’s or even the wizarding equivalent.

And yet, what it lacked in size, it made up for in density. Loose tea leaves in containers lined the walls, describing the different blends and even some of the magical effects they had. Some were laced with love potions or healing charms. There were even a few blends made with the leaves of magical plants, which had all manner of effects, from curing the common cold to undoing petrification.

Though the variety only served to stump Credence even more. There seemed to be hundreds, if not thousands of choices,none of them familiar. He could smell good, strong tea from a mile away, and everything here smelled heavenly.

As he was browsing, he heard the bell at the shop entrance ring. Instinctively, he turned his head, expecting to see some strange wizard walk in. Instead, he was greeted with a familiar face, framed with salt-and-pepper hair.

What the Hell was Percival Graves doing in a tea shop?

He seemed to know what he wanted, though, as he made a direct bee-line to a certain shelf on Credence’s side of the store.

He could keep calm. He could _definitely_ keep calm.

“Evening, Director Graves. Fancy meeting you here. I always took you as more of a coffee man,” Credence greeted as he carefully made his way to Graves

Up close, the poor man just looked _exhausted_ . This was further underlined by tea he was scooping into a brown, paper bag. It was a blend of blue leaves called _Madame DeCarte’s Sleepytime Blend_. The sign very clearly warns prospective buyers that it is laced with a sleeping potion, and not meant for the faint of heart.

“I am. I just like to have a cup of tea before bed. Helps relax the mind and body, you know?” He made a point of putting the scoop back into the bin before turning to look at Credence. “What are you up to?”

That blend would do a heck of a whole lot more than relax him, but Credence kept that thought to himself.

“I’m picking up some tea for Mister Scamander. He didn’t like the blend we have in the coffee room.”

Graves laughed. “Those Brits and their tea, ‘ey? Can’t be satisfied with just any old brand.”

“Well, to be fair, it’s not particularly strong..”

The Director sighed. “Oh no, he’s converted you, hasn’t he?”

“Unfortunately.” Credence laughed. “Problem is, they don’t sell the blend Newt and I used to drink back in London, so I’ll just have to find a substitute.”

“Do you want some help?” Graves offered. “I don’t have to be anywhere tonight, so we’d have plenty of time.”

“I’d appreciate that. Thank you.”

Graves started towards the non-magically enhanced teas. “So, what sort of blend does your boss like?”

“Normally he likes spiced teas, like chai, but we drank a lot of Irish Breakfast just because it’s easier to come by.”

“Black tea, then.” Graves took Credence’s hand and started to lead him to the other side of the store. “The teas that aren’t magically enhanced are over here, so it’s probably the best place to start.” He pointed to a display. “You might want to check these out.”

The display was a massive shelf, so tall that there was a ladder attached to it to make reaching the various canisters of loose leaf tea easier. Each container was clearly labelled with the name of the blend and what made it unique.

Credence looked over the shelf, scanning for the right type of tea. “Thank you, I probably would’ve taken forever to find this on my own.”

“It’s no problem, really. I’m just glad I could help out.”

Credence looked down at their hands, seeing they were still connected. He blushed, making eye contact with Graves. “I, uh…” He loosened his grip around the other man’s hand. “I’ll get to looking, I guess.”

“Yeah, you do that. I’ll go pay for this,” he said, indicating the bag of tea. “I mean, but, like, if you want me to stay, I could help you look around a bit.”

Credence smiled. “That would be nice. I’ll take the ladder if you want me to and start at the top?”

“Yeah, that sounds good. Just try not to fall off, I’m not sure I’d be able to catch you. I’m getting on in years, you know.”

“I’ll do my best.” He turned his back on Graves and started up the ladder.

It was kind of fun, reading through all the different blends and trying to imagine what they would taste like. Most of what he was finding didn’t quite fit the bill. It was a lot of blends with dried fruit, which neither he nor Newt were particularly fond of.

“I think you might have some more luck down here,” Graves called up. “It seems like most of the spiced teas are on this shelf.”

Credence made his way down the ladder and found where Graves was pointing. If he stood on his tip-toes, he could clearly read the descriptions of the teas. He eventually found one that seemed to fit the bill: it was a mix with cardamom, cinnamon, and cloves.

Credence filled one of the paper bags with loose leaf tea. After paying for it, he met Graves just outside the door.

The Director put his hand on Credence’s shoulder. “It was you, wasn’t it?”

Credence felt all the blood drain from his face. He couldn’t have… “I’m not sure what you mean. "

“You were the boy in the thunderbird mask at the ball, weren’t you?”

Credence took a step back. “How did you..?”

“There are only so many people who work for Protection of Magical Species, and I chatted a bit with Abernathy, who confirmed that you were with Newt Scamander. I mean, all of those things in isolation probably wouldn’t be anything to think twice about, but it’s the wandless magic that pulled everything together.”

He wrung his hands, suddenly distinctly aware of his lack of a wand. “Yeah, I uh… wands don’t like me very much. I mean, my obscurus is pretty much gone, but I still can’t use them, so I just… don’t."

Graves gripped Credence’s hands in his own. “It’s nothing to be ashamed of. I’ve met fully-fledged Aurors who can’t do _half_ of what you can. Hell, at your age I was still figuring out how to summon things without depending on my wand.”

“So did you just… really want to recruit me to the Auror Division?” Credence asked, incredulous.

“Of course not. Talking to you was the highlight of my night, and then you just… ran off at midnight. Even the ribbon you’d left me with disappeared once the clock struck twelve. I felt like you’d never existed, and I wanted to know who you really were.”

Credence blinked. “Oh.”

Graves’ hands migrated up to Credence’s face. One rested on his cheek while the other pushed his hair back. “Will you let me learn, Credence?" 

Credence muttered a breathy “yes” before closing the gap between himself and Graves.

**Author's Note:**

> This bitch takes [ commissions](https://binary-suunset.tumblr.com/post/160970900544/hey-everyone-now-that-i-am-officially-no-longer).


End file.
